Brian Burke once famously said during his time in Anaheim that he looks for the requisite level of "pugnacity, truculence, belligerence, hostility and testosterone" among his bottom six forwards. His successor, Ducks GM Bob Murray, has looked to add more skill over the years but he hasn't forgotten what's in their DNA.

When he speaks of those he goes up against every night, Cramarossa simply says, "I'd like to hope I'm a thorn in their side all game."

"I don't think they like that every shift I'm dumping it, banging and getting in their heads," he continued. "I think it gets them eventually. That's my style and that's what teams need. I think I played my role well with Mississauga this year and it helped us."

The Majors fell short in their quest for the Memorial Cup as they fell to the Saint John Sea Dogs in the final but Cramarossa, 17, would be a happy fellow weeks later when he was drafted into the same organization that selected his Mississauga teammate Devante Smith-Pelly in the second round last summer.

"He might have been the first guy text to me," Cramarossa said. "I remember after the combine, he was asking me what interviews had I went on and I mentioned Anaheim and we would joke. He'd say, 'Imagine if they picked you and we'd be together again.'

"It happened. He messaged me right away. He's one of my friends on the team. It's really cool. We skate together so it's like the two Ducks guys on Mississauga."

Smith-Pelly was indeed thrilled to see Cramarossa out at Anaheim Ice for the Ducks' conditioning camp for young prospects and recent draft picks that ended Tuesday. When asked for a quick scouting report on Cramarossa, the young winger said, "he's two different people on and off the ice."

"Off the ice, he's just a nice, quiet guy," Smith-Pelly said. "On the ice, he's a totally different guy. He'll protect anybody on the team. He's a big hitter. He's a great team guy. I know if anyone gets hit or if somebody is kind of getting picked on, Joe is going to go out there and kind of protect everybody.

"You talk to him off the ice, he's kind of shy and just an overall nice guy. On the ice, if you're bugging him, he's not going to be nice at all. It's kind of funny to see how he can be two different people."

In his second season with the Majors, Cramarossa has 12 goals and 20 assists as he wasn't one of their star players and penalty killing was usually the only special teams time he had. His profile fits that of one who'll be an energy-type grinder if he makes the NHL.

Not that it matters to Martin Madden, the Ducks' director of amateur scouting who believes the Markham, Ontario native has some upside to his rugged game.

"Camarossa is a hard-nosed Ducks third-line type player," Madden said. "He can play center, he can play the wing. He's versatile. He can skate. He won't back down from anybody. He's got really good hands actually and I think his offensive production is going to increase substantially next year on a team that woudn't use him on the power play at all.

"I think there is upside to him. But regardless of that, he'll find a way to play because he won't take no for an answer."

One of his other strengths is being universally regarded as a strong defensive player and Cramarossa gave credit to his Majors' coach, Dave Cameron, who recently left his position to join the staff of new Ottawa Senators coach Paul MacLean.

"He's obviously has a huge impact on my game," Cramarossa said. "He's a great coach. He may be tough but that's what you need. Obviously it's great that he's moving on for himself. But I would have loved to have him back."

Cramarossa has long had another influential voice in his development into an NHL prospects. His dad, Vito, was a sixth-round draft pick of the Washington Capitals who played for the OHL's Toronto Marlboros in the mid-1980s.

Being a pest is natural as Cramarossa said, "I've always been a little feisty guy." Apparently it is a family trait as well.

"My dad kind of played that role," he said. "When you get on the ice, you have no friends. I play a rough game. Dumping pucks, banging bodies. And if I need to protect myself or my teammates, I'm not scared to drop the gloves.

"It kind of benefits me. Some guys are kind of intimated going in there. Some guys don't want to get hit. But me being able to do that, it just helps me that much more. It's an advantage. It's become my game and I wouldn't change it."

The sport of hockey might be played across continents but it can also be a small world as Cramarossa learned during the camp when he was on the ice with power skating instructor Dawn Braid. One has to eventually answer for his or her misdeeds.

"I fought her son," he said, referring to a Dec. 12 bout with Mackenzie Braid of the Barrie Colts. "I was kind of nervous skating around her and seeing what she'd say.

"She reminded me of it. I told her I thought I forgot. But it's good through. I think we're good."

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